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Q: I have diabetes-related neuropathy and I’m a little afraid to exercise because of it. Can you give me some ideas on how to get active and avoid further complications? A: Your reservations about exercise are common, but it’s great that you’re interested in getting active. After all, physical activity can help you control your blood sugar levels, improve your mood, and manage stress and emotions. It can also aid in weight loss, which helps lessen tension and pain in your lower body. Overall, being physically active can help everything seem a bit more manageable.

Here are five things to consider if you have diabetic neuropathy and want to continue or start exercising:

1. Talk to Your Doctor Speak to your physician and make sure that it is safe for you to exercise. You may have other health risk factors, and you want to make sure your doctor is on board with your exercise plans. Your capabilities and limitations depend on the degree to which the neuropathy hinders your movement. Some effects of neuropathy include muscle weakness, loss of sensation, numbness, tingling, pain, or a loss of body position awareness (proprioception). If neuropathy is affecting your lower body — foot, ankle, and leg — your balance and walking may be impacted.

2. Try Seated Exercises If your sense of balance or proprioception is affected — or if you have considerable pain with standing — consider focusing on seated exercises. They can be beneficial in managing neuropathy because they help you improve your circulation, range of motion, and strength without worrying about balance or bearing too much weight. To get started, you will need a sturdy chair or an exercise ball and a pair of hand-held weights. Choose a weight that is challenging, but allows you to get through all of the repetitions within your workout without sacrificing form.

3. Practice Balance Training Balance training helps work the muscles in your lower body and core, and aids in constructing the brain-body connection you need to prevent falls and build a strong foundation. When performing balancing exercises, use a wall or stable chair for assistance. However, please note that you should introduce standing exercises in your routine only when you’re sure you can tolerate them.

4. Find the Right Cardio for You If you are experiencing some of the side effects of peripheral neuropathy, it doesn’t mean you need to rule out cardio completely. Is walking, jogging, or running too tough to manage comfortably? Try swimming or water aerobics, riding a stationary or recumbent bike, or using an upper body ergometer.

5. Check in With Your Feet When you have numbness or pain in your feet, you may not be able to feel when a blister or a sore is forming. Make sure you have appropriate footwear for your activity, and check your feet daily for any blisters, sores, or ulcers. It’s also important to wear clean socks that fit you well during exercise. Cotton is not always the best choice, but socks made out of material that pulls moisture away from your skin can be helpful. Prevention is key because healing a sore once it has formed can be quite challenging.

If you don’t have trouble with balance and aren’t in significant pain, you will probably be able to tolerate more moderate-intensity activity. Try adding walking or resistance training to your daily activity.

OR a combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise to achieve a similar amount of training

1-3 sets of 8-15 repetitions

Do you have a fitness question for us? Leave a comment below!

Jennifer Bayliss is a fitness expert and coach at Everyday Health. She is a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a AFAA certified personal trainer, and holds both an undergraduate and a graduate degree in exercise science.

Important: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not Everyday Health. See More

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